Why is Maryland so … rich?

Oh Maryland, my Maryland, why are you so rich, boring, expensive and liberal?

Rich, boring, expensive and liberal?

Those are the top results that autocomplete suggests when you type "Why is Maryland so" into Google.

Perhaps the results shouldn't be such a surprise, because Maryland does lead the nation in median household income. That, of course, helps explain why things can be so expensive here. And seeing how long Maryland politics have been dominated by Democrats, it's no great surprise that people see our state as liberal.

But boring? Please.

A state that has an island full of wild ponies, holds an annual race of homemade sculptures, and celebrates the beehive hairdo can hardly qualify as boring.

Plus, John Waters. And "The Star-Spangled Banner." And crabs. It's impossible to be bored when there are crabs to eat.

Other states are the subject of much more interesting queries, The Atlantic reported last week.

People want to know why Mississippi is so backwards, Illinois is so corrupt and Pennsylvania is so haunted.